


The last trip......in the year 2070

by Lionessinthedark



Series: Sherlock's and John's challenges [13]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: A bit supernatural, Barafundle Bay, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Post-His Last Vow, but only a little angst, very post
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 16:19:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4311996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionessinthedark/pseuds/Lionessinthedark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So...finally. Last history in “Sherlock’s and Johns challenges” and actually the first one I wrote back in January. I had seen “Third Star” for the 5th time and after having wiped my eyes (again)....That film always makes me cry...... I thought: “what if?”....what if Barafundle Bay is a portal to another place?......and you get a second chance if you do it right?  I've changed the timeline in "Third Star" to make it fit to Sherlock's birth.</p><p>And I would so much like those two idiots to find out that they love each other and would do anything for each other and to end up in a retirement with bee-hives in a small village after having had a long and fulfilling life together....and somehow there would be a son of Sherlock’s to inherit his brilliant mind too.</p><p>And of course I do not own the characters...they belong to Arthur Conan Doyle..... and later BBC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter one

“Do you know who those two old buffers are” asked the young man from the village.

“Don’t you know? It’s Sir Sherlock Watson-Holmes and Sir John Watson-Holmes!, answered his friend.

“Those two? The detectives? But they are so old!”

“Of course they are! I think Sir Sherlock Watson-Holmes is 92 by now and Sir John Watson-Holmes is a few years older. Did you think they were immortal?”

And the other young man continued: “But don’t get them wrong......even if their bodies are bent and their knees and backs are a bit stiff, their minds are still as sharp as ever....no Alzheimer’s there. Especially Mr. Holmes can be so “sharp”....he has no mercy on stupidity. On the other hand he is very nice to children.....if they are willing to learn. As he says: “Not knowing is understandable, not learning is unforgivable”....and don’t you ever think that Dr. Watson is not intelligent too. He is just a bit more discrete about it.”

“Are they still solving cases?”

“Yeah...if the cases are interesting enough.....but I’ve been told that they retired here to Southern England many years ago. Actually they were only in their mid-forties as they did leave London and only occasionally helped the older Mr. Mycroft Holmes on his request or sometimes Scotland Yard. But they only very seldom were leaving the village. They had brought this elderly woman with them, Mrs. Hudson, and sometimes another younger...German I was told...very pretty woman and her little son lived there some years too. Mrs. Hudson died many years ago and the woman and her then grown up son left shortly after. The son sometimes visits. He has got his own family now. That’s why I know about Mr. Holmes and children. The two elderly men only visit the village centre when we are arranging events or trips, normally for the whole village, but only when it is something out of the ordinary. Sometimes they show up and have suggestions and it has always turned out to be something to remember. Sometimes they even pay extra money so we can afford it."

“Do they live here in the village? I didn’t know...and do they live alone now....without any help?”

“They live in that nice cottage just outside the village.....you know the one with the bee hives. I often visit them and share a meal with them. They have a house keeper, but often they’ll cook their own meals. Mr. Holmes being just a tiny fraction more untraditional in his choice of recipes and then Dr. Watson would yell: “Are you poisoning me again, Sherlock?” But it tastes all right just a bit strong and spicy. They do have health problems though....not only from being old. I’ve seen them bathing when we were at the beach about 15 years ago. I was 10 at the time. They have lived a risky life and their bodies are scarred. I couldn’t help looking at them and they were so nice and told me where from some of their scars came.  
Dr. Watson had and old big scar right through his shoulder and told that he had been shot in Afghanistan when he was a young man and a soldier. He had small wounds on his hands and told me that there had been actual nails through them and Mr. Holmes back was rather scarred to and he told me that he had been in some dungeons in Serbia and had been tortured. They had scars from stab wounds and gunshot wounds and from surgery. I didn’t think then that they made it up just to meet the curiosity of a boy......but I got so curious that I think that it sort of gave the spark to my wish to become a doctor. And later I learned that they of course had spoken the truth about every one of their scars.”

“Hmm.....an interesting couple then. Where are we going this time?”

“Some place in Wales at a beach.....and we are even going to spend the night at a hotel nearby or in tents on the beach. Until now we are 27 people...it’s going to be a thrill......bonfire in the summer night at a beach! Remember your guitar!”  
___________________

Sherlock and John were sitting in their living room in their armchairs in front of the fire....at first sight....and if you knew them as they were young....it looked a bit like Baker Street. But the fire was artificial.....and of course the armchairs were different.....higher and made so old people easier could get up from them. Sherlock had lifted his eyebrows as John had bought them, but had omitted to say anything....and they were rather nice too. 

Not that Sherlock and John were that stiff, but John used a cane again and Sherlock walked a bit stiff too with a slight limp and his back a bit bent. No wonder. They had passed 90 both of them and an active life with a lot of injuries had to be paid back at some time. John’s hair was gray and very short and he had a bald spot and Sherlock’s unruly mane of black curls....well....not that unruly anymore as he wore it shorter and more gray than black. His eyes still sharp and his tongue too. But the pneumonia last winter had taken its toll on Sherlock...... now thinner than ever and the recovery after the events in Croatia had never been complete, forcing Sherlock to have IV nutrition from time to time. Now it was necessary again and Sherlock hated it! 

John was as ever reading his newspaper. Well, not “paper” anymore....he sort of missed it.....but on screen in midair in front of his eyes. Sherlock was contemplating, maybe somewhere in his mind palace. He hadn’t said a word for 2 hours.

“You are absolutely right” he suddenly said.

John switched the newspaper off and sighed: “Sherlock, dam you......it’s two hours ago we had that conversation...I can’t remember......what am I absolutely right about?”  
Hmm..... something never changed! And thank god actually...

“We discussed if we had a soul...and you said that you thought we had one. I’ve dug everything up....everything I’ve stashed about the item and I must agree with you. We must have a soul....something apart from our body. That’ll be the only explanation....so you are right: we do have a soul!”

John looked at Sherlock with his mouth open...that he should live to hear that!!!! But he didn’t say a word and Sherlock continued:” ......recently I have had this dream....repeatedly.....and more and more detailed......A young man dying from cancer. He decides to make a trip to Barafundle bay together with some friends...and there he decides to die...to drown himself....and he gets help from one of his fiends...Miles. That young man died there in 1969......I can remember more and more about it, John.....that young man was me! James Kimberly Griffith!

“Yes...”said John....”and I couldn’t help you!”

“What?! You were not there?!”

“Oh don’t be silly Sherlock...think! Who were there for you the whole time? Carried you...held your head when you vomited because of the pain and the medication? Always there for you? You are not the only one who had been dreaming lately!”

Sherlock smiled...”You were Davy!!!” 

John: “Yes I was, Sherlock.... and I only outlived James a little more than one year. Car crash and now it was time to get another life...move on....What kept you? You were not born until 1976?”

“I don’t know? Maybe this time I should be younger than you.....I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m so tired John. That the only nutrition I can keep down is tea and that I’m hooked on that IV again....My body hurts.....my old scars hurt...I’m tired!”

John looked at him: “are you telling me that you don’t want to live anymore?!”

Sherlock: “sort of....That pneumonia this winter.....feeling my body deteriorating. Never felt this weak, or at least ...not for a long time! This spring gave me some relief. But you know just as well as I, which way it is going when I barely can keep food down by now.....I’ve lost weight.”

John: “hmmmm...”

“Are you mad at me? For giving up?”

“No....actually not Sherlock.....no... actually not.....I’m sort of tired too.....and I most certainly do not want to live without you! Not again...”

“We’ve had a nice and fulfilling life....together.”

“Yes we have.....when we fist did work it out.”

“Yeah....and when we had done what we had to do!”

“I’m still a bit pissed of that you didn’t take enough antidote!”

“And I’m still telling you that it was a mistake and not intentional!”

“Hmm...what do you want to do? Why going on this trip? I can remember the trance and so can you...we could choose that together....some place....any place.....but why Barafundle Bay...it’s just a beach...right?”

“No John.....that is not what my dreams had told me.....Barafundle Bay, and a few other places on Earth. They are portals...to another world...an after-world. If you choose to die there.....voluntarily......you’ll keep your mind, yourself, from this world to the other one.  
I’ll still be Sherlock...and you’ll still be John. I remember now that I chose then - well actually I was sort of asked - that I would return as a rather intelligent person and with a task.....a very important one....that might or might not be necessary.  
From my birth....during university....being so utterly alone...so different, only Mycroft was a bit like me.....during drug abuse because I had lost my direction.....all the way through I felt that there was something very important that I had to do. And I found it.....and we did it together. And now....we’ve had such a long and fulfilling life together and I wish we could continue. But I’m tired.....I feel “thin”....”stretched”.....old. I would like to leave before I’m more of a nuisance than I already am. I want to leave the same way that James went. Clear headed....willingly.....before I’m too weak to do it. Would you come with me, John?”

“As always, Sherlock....I’ll follow you! Like I’ve done most of our life together!”

“Oh come on, John....you would never have followed me if you did not wish to do it!!I really can’t order you around and I’ve never been able to do so!”  
_________________  
As they were laying in their double bed this night...spooning as they had done so many years now, Sherlock’s long body behind John’s shorter frame, Sherlock nuzzled his nose into John’s neck: “Hmmm...do you remember first time we did this?”

“Hmm...the day you returned from Berlin.....after Mary and Mina were killed in the car crash.”

“Yeah...and you threatened to shoot me!”

“I never would have done it, Sherlock....giving you a punch maybe....but never shoot you!”

“I’m glad you did neither of them!”

“Hmm...me too. I just wish we had told each other before....how we felt.”

“No John....it would not have been good. At Antonio’s.....if I had told the truth then and we’ve had a relationship, we would have died by the pool, shot by Moriarty’s men. We survived the pool and the factory because we puzzled Moriarty.  
I’m afraid that my jump would have killed you, either by the sniper....or from grief.....and I.....I wouldn’t have been able to hide that I was not dead....and I would not have had the strength to endure my hardships......if I had known how it was to make love to you. I know by now that the worst part came to be in front of us in time, when I declared my love...but we made it together...and we survived!”

“I do not agree, Sherlock. The worst part was that I thought you were dead and that you were so utterly alone in Serbia and the way I let you down after that. Since we found each other, things were hard, but I’ve never felt that abysmal sorrow and grief and...well...self contempt since. The events in Croatia were nothing compared to your jump as we made them together... and later.... hmmm... we’ve had more than 50 years together....that is more than many people get. I can’t ask for more.....I love you Sherlock!”

“And I love you, John!”

And like that they fall asleep....like they used to do. Sometimes they were in the same position as they awoke and sometimes they were more apart.....but never without a part of each other touching the other. As they had grown older, John had jokingly mentioned that he would have his own bedroom if Sherlock began to snore and Sherlock had just looked at him and said that if John would snore, he would just be happy to hear that John was alive!! John felt a bit ashamed of himself and hugged Sherlock and wondered without saying a word how Sherlock could show his deep devotion to John by just saying a simple sentence! 

“I do not understand what I have done to deserve a man like you Sherlock? You still amaze me!” John would say. And they kissed.

Not that everything was “unicorns and rainbows” as Sherlock mockingly sometimes called it when John got just a little bit too romantic.....they could have their banters and sometimes even rows and Sherlock would still have his moods that could push John to his limits. But they had made a promise, being so close to losing each other. Not to let the sun set before they had talked to each other and always be sleeping beside each other in the same bed, except of course if one of them were hospitalized.


	2. Chapter 2

As the time for the trip to the beach came nearer and as unfortunately Sherlock’s health deteriorated further, they made arrangements, now knowing that they would not be alive after the trip. Not that they could make their arrangements too obviously, but being over 90 it was not uncommon to make arrangements like that. Sherlock had contacted Hamish as well, but not told him what they intended to do.   
________________________

The day for the trip couldn’t have been better. Blue sky, nearly no clouds and a pleasant temperature....a bit chilly in the morning made promises that it would not get too hot around midday. 40 people would make the trip in 2 buses, leaving enough room in the luggage compartment for tents and supplies. And after a far too long and exhausting bus- ride they were finally there.   
That is to be accurate....at the nearest parking lot, “Stackpole Quay”, which left still 0.5 miles to walk and drag all the tents and supplies with them. They had pushcarts but people had to walk. John had worried that Sherlock might not be able to walk that rather short distance but Sherlock proved him wrong. With the strength of stubbornness that he had had as a young man too, he walked together with John and the rest of the people.

“It’s a part of it, John”, had he said “to make that struggle, to walk that way. If it is not done like that, it wouldn’t work. And besides. 0.5 miles….it should be within my limits!”

Some of the younger members had thought of bringing chairs to the two old men and as Sherlock and John walked down the stone stairs to the beach the chairs were already waiting for them and they sat down with gratitude and a bit wobbling legs.

“Finally” was Sherlock’s remark.

“Yeah….I had my doubts, though” answered John. Sherlock turned his head and just looked at him with his characteristic nose wrinkle and eyes half closed and then turned his head back looking at the sea. He didn’t say anything. Just grabbed John’s hand and squished it a bit and as John turned his head to look at Sherlock he could see his smirk…..Yeah, Sherlock had had his doubts too!

As the day went by it turned out that Sherlock had made meticulous preparations for the day to be perfect: he had provided several portable toilet wagons (“I refuse to stagger back to the parking lot if I need to attend to private matters” as he had said when the providing company turned up with the wagons attached to tractors) At midday as several different picnic baskets was delivered to all the guests…provided from the nearby hotel, a special one for Sherlock and John. 

People would swim in the sea and in the beginning John and Sherlock only dipped their feet. But the water was relatively warm and they decided to take a real swim. They used to do that in the swim bath in the centre in their village. Three times a week until last winter. They took that swim a little distance away from the others. No reason to scare someone with the scarred looks of their bodies. 

The day was perfect. Sunny most of the time and only a few clouds that vanished fast around midday. Like that the whole day went on…..dinner for everyone provided too, and again a special one for John and Sherlock. A tent for Sherlock and John was put up on the beach and later in the evening as people sat by several bonfires drinking champagne,   
beer, cider or whatever they had ordered at Sherlock’s and John’s account, Sherlock had provided fireworks as well.

“Do you remember, John?” he said with his deep voice as they sat close to each other under a shared blanket, so close that Johns head was on Sherlock’s shoulder. Sherlock’s voice without a trace of age. If John closed his eyes, he could see Sherlock, still young, his hair black and curled, his pale and thin but yet muscular body and only a few wrinkles in that beautiful face….John opened his eyes, turned his head up against Sherlock’s and said: “Hmmm yeah…we put one tent on fire. But it was worth it….seeing you so happy…like a child.”

Sherlock: “hmm…I think that the morphine doze helped to make it a bit more spectacular than it was in reality. I remember it as if the whole firmament exploded with colours and it lasted forever…and I suppose it was only a few rockets.”

John: “it was…but to see the wonder in your eyes was worth the tent!”

They sat in silence for a while as it grew darker, their chairs close to each other and sharing a blanket.

“It has been an amazing day, Sherlock. Thank you. You are such a romantic! This day has been all unicorns and butterflies and rainbows, as you would mockingly call it!”

“Rubbish…….”

“No it is true…..I’ve felt more alive today than I’ve done for many years.”

“Any regrets?”

“No!…Have you told Hamish? Or anyone else?”

“No....but I think Hamish deduced it!”

“Of course he did. He is your son after all, but when….soon? I’ll let you decide!”

“No….to many awake. I’ll like a last night together with you” and he turned his head and actually smirked at John and the he put his ear close to John’s and whispered: “do you remember our bet once in Baker Street that I would be able to make you come just with my voice and what I said to you?” 

And then he put his hand in John’s groin.

“Oh Sherlock…it is more than two years ago since we......the last time ……I’m old for god’s sake!”….and then he felt it….a tingle……an arousal….almost forgotten. He gasped.

“Oh John….I’ve been feeding you and me with aphrodisiacs the whole day…..they should make a difference!” 

John just looked at Sherlock and remembered the food: oysters, asparaguses and avocado, strawberries, cherries, watermelon, pomegranates and banana, chocolate and honey, bread with pesto of basil, pine nuts and olive oil. Then chai tea and coffee and the infamous rich chocolate cake that Sherlock loved.

He began to giggle:”Oh my god Sherlock….it’s the whole list except from “cantharides”!”

“I believe that the latter is not proven to have an effect other than tissue damage. To do that maybe I should have remembered the riding crop!”

As Sherlock said the last word john felt a tingle and a warmth in his groin…and as he put his hand down there and met Sherlock’s hand he felt his own erection. Not as hard as he was young….but it was there. He moved his other hand to Sherlock’s groin and felt it there too. “Oh Sherlock.....I’m far too old for the whole way, I think” 

“So am I.....but it was nice to discover that we are not dead yet!” was the answer.

They decided it was time to go to bed....just talking and sleeping so they undressed and slipped under the big duvet in the big bed. Yes....Sherlock had provided an inflatable maxi size mattress!

Sherlock spooned john from behind....like usual, and whispered in his ear: “Maybe we should have done this a few years ago.....when we still were active. Then we could have ended our lives after one last shag!”

John turned his body around so he could see Sherlock’s face. “Sex....even though it has been nice and mind-blowing sometimes....isn’t everything. Just feeling you, knowing that you are here, its fine!”

He caressed Sherlock’s face....older but surprisingly young looking in the low light and his eyes still sharp. “I’m afraid that this old body’s attempt to make anything remote to a shag would fail....despite the food. We’ll just have to accept age.....and it has been the most wonderful day. A fine way to end it!”

Sherlock: “As I said: one last night together with you. And in the early morning in the first daylight. I’ll like to be able to see just a little bit and not stumble over a stone because it is too dark!”

He was silent for a while then he continued: “It is rather amazing. I never expected to live past...well actually in the beginning...past 25. You know....my drug abuse and then...being rather careless....never “past 30”.   
And then you came into my life...and things were sometimes life threatening. To be honest...I didn’t think I would survive the dungeons in Serbia. And then......well when you left me for Mary...and when she shot me, I thought: “well that is it...you’ll never make it past 35” And here I am...more than 90 years old and still able to talk and remember. I am ever so grateful....You are the best thing that ever happened in my life”

He kissed John:”You have no idea how much you mean to me!!!”

John kissed him back: “Oh yes....I do. Just as much as you mean to me. Without you I wouldn’t have made it more than a few months after I returned to London. I had my SIG in my mouth more than once....Had it there too, when you “died” falling of that building.”

Sherlock gave him a hug: “That is silly......why use your SIG when you knew how to get into that trance?”

“I do not know....maybe because a violent death would have been a better ending? I’m ever so thankful that we have made it so far!” 

Sherlock looked into John’s eyes: “You are sure? About the water? Tomorrow morning?”

“Now is just as good as ever! And remember Sherlock...you have never been able to force me to do anything I really didn’t want to do......not even in Berlin!”

And close to each other they fell asleep.  
____________________

“It’s time John...everyone is asleep....”

“Oh...fine....Just give time to put on my trunks....I do not want to leave this world naked...”

“Why not......you came into it like that?!”  
____________________________

The water was not as cold as John would have feared. It was rather nice actually as they swam side by side. John concentrated on swimming...but made sure that Sherlock could catch up. But he did....despite the late health problems.

John looked at Sherlock as Sherlock suddenly said: “I think it is here, John....look.... the water is different, it is another colour and the sky....”

And John looked up...yes it was different. The waves weren’t there anymore and they could only hear and see the seabirds.

They tread water, looked at each other. John gave Sherlock his little nod. And they went under....blowing the air from their lungs out... Sherlock lunged forward grabbed John’s head and kissed him....John grabbed Sherlock’s hands too as they sank below the surface. John would have expected his body to struggle more as the water entered his lungs but as Sherlock stopped kissing him and they just hold each other’s hands, there were nearly no resistance at all. Just calmness.....as they looked into each other’s eyes and then everything turned black..  
________________________

Hamish was informed by the English police that his father and his father’s husband unfortunately had drowned on a trip to Barafundle Bay as they apparently had taken an early morning swim and had overestimated their strength. Their bodies had been found later that day as people had started searching for them as they were missing in their tent. Their hands clenched to each others in death.....  
______________________

They were in a heavy fog, John could barely see his feet and feel the pavement under them: “Sherlock....dammit...Sherlock.....wait for me.....it didn’t work did it?” 

John shouted at the tall shadow in front of him in the fog and it turned around and it was Sherlock...young...black hair and a big smile: ”Oh....no I see....It most certainly did not. Oh John....observe!Not just look!”

And John looked down on his own body....young again....well not that young. 30 he would think. “Where the hell are we?”

“Oh John....don’t be daft....the best place on Earth....London!!!!Another reality. And this time we are going to do it right from the beginning!!!” 

John looked at a newspaper that was in front of his feet. “Times 10th of August 2007” - the year before he went to Afghanistan.

Sherlock turned around and grabbed his head: ”No trip to Afghanistan......no shoulder wound......no prison camp...... and no drugs to me. I just think we’ve earned another roller-coaster ride......and this time.....We’ll do it together!”

“No wait Sherlock....wait.” And Sherlock stopped.

John continued: “We’ve had the most wonderful and fulfilling life together. As we so to speak “reached the port safely”. But before that we were in a very small boat trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Many times we were about to sink and you fell overboard and disappeared for 2 years. What I’m trying to say is......I’m afraid!! If we enter our lives again I’m not sure you or I will make the right decisions again in the right time, thus leading me to die in Afghanistan this time, you to die of drug abuse this time, taking the cabbies pill this time, die in an explosion in the pool house this time or all the other crazy stuff we’ve been through.   
And don’t you dare say that we can just leave London and go to that cottage in Sussex right away. You....my dragon-slayer, my hero and my angel.....you would not be able to look the other way and let people get murdered or let the murderers get away....But one false step....and we’ll lose each other...and this time there will be no Barafundle Bay!”

Sherlock looked at John: "I’m sorry....I thought that this would be what you would want....My mistake....We’ll just leave this reality....against the light then?” And he pointed somewhere behind John.

“What do you think would happen here?” asked John as they walked towards the light in the fog holding each other’s hands.

“I don’t know....maybe there will be another “Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson”.....maybe as figures in a book or in a movie or in a TV-show.......I do not know!”

“Well...”something Sherlock doesn’t know”....I am fine with that......”

And with that last remark they entered the light.....


End file.
